By Andy Benoit, www.NFLTouchdown.com

AFC South Predictions

1. Indianapolis Colts

Hard to pick against five consecutive division titles – especially if the defense continues to perform so well.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars

If they were in the NFC, they would maybe be the Super Bowl favorite.

3. Houston Texans

Capable of winning 10 games if everyone stays healthy, but they’re in an unfortunately tough division.

4. Tennessee Titans

The offensive and defensive lines have both taken a step back. Thus, this team gets doubted for another year.

Best Offseason Move

The Titans franchising defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, ensuring another contract-year effort from the star and forcing him to prove his long-term value.

Worst Offseason Move

The Titans allowing guard Jacob Bell to get away in free agency.

Biggest Question

What force is needed to disrupt the status quo that has come to define this division?

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By Andy Benoit, www.NFLTouchdown.com

2007 Record: 8-8 (4^th AFC South)

Predicted:3^rd

Head Coach: Gary Kubiak (third season)

Offense

QB: Matt Schaub Deserving of his starting job but must prove he can stay healthy.

RB: Ahman Green Age is a darn-near insurmountable obstacle at this point, especially considering his susceptibility to injury.

FB: Vonta Leach A 250-pound space clearer. The coaches really like him.

WR: Andre Johnson At his best could be the most dangerous wideout in football. Last year, Houston was 6-3 with him and 2-5 without him.

WR: Kevin Walter Finally settled into his starting role catching 65 balls last season. Doesn’t have enough electricity to scare defenses.

TE: Owen Daniels Excellent receiving skills makes him a factor between the numbers. Has the athleticism, just needs to continue to channel it.

LT: Duane Brown* Fluid ex-tight end who is an ideal fit for a zone-blocking system. But with just 3 years of experience at OT, he’s greener than grass.

LG: Chester Pitts Has started all 96 games in franchise history. Upper-middle-tier lineman who can play with power and finesse.

C: Chris Myers** Familiar with Kubiak’s ‘scheme from his days in Denver. Great upgrade here for the Texans.

RG: Fred Weary Houston’s most gifted interior lineman, but coming off a fractured tibia and fibula from last year.

RT: Eric Winston Terrific fit in zone system; very lithe for a RT. This job is his for the next 10 years.

—————

QB: Sage Rosenfels Wants to start but simply can’t match Schaub’s skill set. Might be the best backup QB in football.

RB: Chris Brown** Don’t be surprised if he flourishes as a starter at some point. Problem is, he’s more delicate than tissue paper.

WR: Andre’ Davis When he’s on, his speed makes him a dangerous downfield weapon. Ran three kickoffs back for touchdowns last year, too.

WR: Jacoby Jones Enticing talent but must avoid the type of midseason drop-off that dampened his rookie year.

TE: Mark Bruener Signed a one-year contract to come back for a 14^th season of run-blocking work.

Defense

LDE: Anthony Weaver Used primarily as a run-defender, though hopes to regain an inside nickel role.

DT: Travis Johnson Has finally––finally!––started playing up to snuff. Not the most likeable guy (remember the Trent Green incident?) but at least he’s contributing.

DT: Amobi Okoye Has a long way to go in his development, though the early indications are he’s going to be a star.

RDE: Mario Williams Fans can no longer gripe about Houston passing on Reggie Bush and Vince Young after his second-half explosion last season.

SLB: Zach Diles Tossed into the starting lineup seemingly out of nowhere, but has been logging copious amounts of reps in practices.

MLB: DeMeco Ryans Starting Pro Bowler in ’07. Not without flaws, though considering his production, pointing out those flaws borders on nitpicking.

WLB: Morlon Greenwood Very solid starter who is coming off an impressive 119-tackle season.

CB: Fred Bennett An archetypal cornerback who, in his second season, could soon evolve into one of the game’s elite defenders.

SS: C.C Brown Has learned to play faster and now should have no trouble keeping Glenn Earl out of the starting lineup.

FS: Will Demps Has quickly revived his once-dying career. Provides the secondary very good veteran experience.

CB: Jacques Reeves** Won’t be starting once Dunta Robinson gets back. Better than critics admit. Still, offenses salivated at the site of him in Dallas last year.

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DL: Anthony Maddox Has enough talent to push for a starting job, but has never been able to close the deal in his previous four years.

LB: Kevin Bentley Speed is a plus, particularly on special teams where he’s expected to be a big factor.

NB: DeMarcus Faggins Has starting experience though has proven to really be more of a dime-level cornerback.

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There was speculation over the past few days that the Texans may bring in former Bears number one pick Cedric Benson for a visit.  That’s not the case.  Adam Schefter of NFL Network is reporting that the Texans DO NOT have interest in Benson, and that it looks like it could be a long time for him to find his way on a roster.  The problem that Benson is having is that teams are only allowed to bring in 80 players this year, down from years past, meaning that there just is not a spot for Benson on a roster right now.

Benson earned his way off the Bears roster with a few rather sub-par, injury filled seasons, but more so do to the fact he was arrested twice in the matter of a month for being intoxicated, one on a boat and once in a vehicle.  Right now it looks like Benson is going to sit at home until a team is in desperate need of a running back, mostly due to injury or a team that can’t run the ball.

Don’t forget there are a number of bigger name backs still out there, including Kevin Jones, Travis Henry and Shaun Alexander.  This fact also will make it tough for Benson to get another legit shot with a team in the 08 season.

The Texans have moved to give Mario Williams and the rest of their defesne help, as the Houston Chronicle is reporting today that the team and free agent linebacker Roosevelt Colvin have agreed to terms, two weeks after they began talks.  GM Rick Smith and agent Kennard McGuire wrapped up the deal Sunday that will bring Colvin to the Lone Star State.

Colvin will turn 31 in September, and missed six games last season,  but has plenty of gas left in the tank and should be a solid addition to a Texans team that will continue to need help on the defensive side of the ball.  Back in his last full season with New England, he put up 8.5 sacks.  The Chronicle says that Colvin will start opposite Anthony Weaver.

The veteran LB was let go by the Pats after playing in 11 games and racking up 27 tackles and four sacks last season.  He was the Bears 4th round draft pick back in 1999, and his best season was the one before leaving for New England, when he put up 10.5 sacks and 64 tackles in 2002.

The start of training camp is about a month away for most teams, and today we’re going to take a look at 6 AFC teams, three of which are in our opinion getting a little too much hype already, and three that we feel are on the verge of sliding under the radar a bit.  Send your comments to us using the “comments” section, or to me directly at matt@nflgridirongab.com

Under the Radar:

Houston Texans - The issue with the Texans is they are in a stacked division, meaning the chances of them making it to the playoffs remain slim.  With that though, they are making a push to have their first winning season in 2008.  They looked to address the RB slot with adding Chris Brown and rookie Steve Slaton, but the line is still a bit of a question mark.  While the secondary needs some work, Mario Williams on the line is going to have a monster year and will get looks as the defensive player of the year.  Why hasn’t this team added free agent LB Roosvelt Colvin?

Too Much Hype:

New York Jets - The Jets were the most active team in free agency right off the bat, making the biggest O-line signing with bringing in guard Alan Faneca from Pittsburgh.  They also added TE Bubba Franks, S Artrell Hawkins, DT Kris Jekins, LB Calvin Pace, T/G Damien Woody, and CB Andre Woolfolk.  With all that said, this team still has issues at the QB spot, with Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens both not ready to lead this team to the promise land. They also need to shore up the D-line, and hope that draft pick Vernon Gholston in the first round will do that.  Overall, most teams that nab that many free agents and make that many changes take 1-2 years to get it all meshed, and that’s how we feel as well.

Under the Radar:

Oakland Raiders - I like the offseason moves of the Raiders, and think that as long as Al Davis and Lane Kiffin can play nice, this team is on its way to being a .500 or better squad.  The defense was a sore spot, and they added CB DeAngelo Hall, CB Duane Starks, FS Gibril Wilson, and more to make it better.  The running game could be fun to watch, with rookie Darren McFadden, Justin Fargas and Michael Bush all looking to get touches.  Javon Walker wants to prove his worth again, and JaMarcus Russell should have a more productive 2nd season.  Don’t overlook this Oakland squad.

Too Much Hype:

Cleveland Browns - Five games under the lights will show the league just how good this team is.  They have holes in the secondary, and they think the D-line will be better with Corey Williams and Shaun Rogers, but to me Rogers is a big question mark.  Derek Anderson will be the starting QB, but the fan base is clammering for Brady Quinn, and early problems for Anderson vs the Cowboys, Steelers and Raevns could create a controversary.  WR Donte Stallworth is also being counted on, and this is a guy that’s been on four teams in four years.

Under the Radar:

Buffalo Bills - Forget about the Marshawn Lynch issues, this team will have that taken care of by Sepetmber.  The Bills were 30th in offense, and 31st in defense, yet had a shot to make the playoffs with three weeks left in the season.  2nd year QB Trent Edwards will be better, and the teams O-line is solid, and will get a deal done with tackle Jason Peters.  The defense under Dick Jauron should also improve, and their schedule is easier than last year with only one trip to the west coast.  Look for the Bills to be a slepper.

Too Much Hype:

Miami Dolphins - 1-15 a year ago, the Fins have been in the headlines a lot with the moves by Bill Parcells and company, and the Jason Taylor saga hanging over this teams head.  The Dolphins are still a long ways away from being good, and coach Tony Sparano and the gang are going to struggle.  QB is an issue with Josh McCown and John Beck expected to each take snaps, and rookie Chad Henne eventually maybe being the best of the bunch.  Having a healthy Ronnie Brown and giving him the ball a bunch is going to be the best way for this team to get 3-4 wins this season.

The Texans are getting a visit today from free-agent linebacker Roosevelt Colvin.  Back on Memorial Day Colvin told NFL Radio that he was getting interest from the Browns and Jets, but did not mention the Texans in that interview.  Houston has some need for a veteran linebacker, as right now Zack Diles and Morlon Greenwood are the starters.

Colvin was let go by the Pats after playing in 11 games and racking up 27 tackles and four sacks last season.  He was the Bears 4th round draft pick back in 1999, and his best season was the one before leaving for New England, when he put up 10.5 sacks and 64 tackles in 2002.

The Houston Chronicle says that the team may be looking at a complement to Mario Williams, and adding Colvin would be a nice fit for a team that is looking to take the next step in the very competitive AFC South.

The Texans have handed GM Rick Smith a four-year extension to try and continue building a team that appears it can be a contender in the AFC in the few years to come.  Smith was entering the final year of a three-year deal, but the team is coming off an 8-8 season, a franchise best, and the team felt it was in their best interest to wrap him up now and not leave any doubt about the direction they are trying to go in.

Smith has been behind some deals that have moved the Texans in the right direction, such as getting players like Amobi Okoye and Andre Davis.  While the jury in some regards is still out about QB Matt Schaub, it appears between he and Sage Rosenfels, that position is heading in the right direction as well.  This last offseason they went out and got a few more pieces, such as RB Chris Brown, CB Jacques Reeves, and safety Nick Ferguson.

The signing may also be good news for coach Gary Kubiak, as an extension for him may be next.  Kubiak is on board through 2010, but with another good season, .500 or better, he may see himself with a new, richer deal much like what Smith just got.

For the next month, Andre Johnson will be watching practice from the sidelines during the Houston Texans OTAs. Johnson will be sidelined after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery last Thursday. Johnson was present at the OTAs Monday, and the team expects him ready for training camps.

Head coach Gary Kubiak wants his Pro Bowl receiver back to 100%, so Kubiak had some “clean up work” done for Johnson.

“He wasn’t real comfortable coming out of mini-camp,” hKubiaksaid. “So we said, ‘Hey, let’s scope it and see if there are any issues.’ He’s not going to get hurt by missing some of these reps, so let’s get him back at 100 percent.”

Stinting from last season, this is Andre Johnson’s first major noteworthy injury since joining the Texans in 2003. Last season, Johnson missed seven games with a severe knee sprain, and the pain hasn’t left yet. Before the knee sprain, Johnson only missed three games for injuries in his NFL career.

Johnson said on his nagging knee pain, “When I ran, period, it bothered me in the inside of my knee. It was just something that just got real aggravating.”

On the surgery, Johnson said, “I feel good right now. It has a little bit of swelling, but nothing major. If you looked at my knee, you wouldn’t really even be able to tell anything is wrong with it.”

If Johnson recovers well from the injury, he shouldn’t be an injury hazard for the Texans in 2008. The Texans are really hoping last year’s injury filled season was a fluke and this year will be filled with good health. RB Ahman Green said, “Even though we had injuries, we were still able to fight and get eight wins,” Green said. “Hopefully we can stay healthy this year and do some things.”

On a similar note, and on the brighter side of things, Johnson will donate 400 bicycles with free water, ice and food during his next charity event in South Florida. The bikes will come from WalMart. Earlier this month Johnson donated $26,000 for hundreds of children’s bicycles in a charity event in Miami Gardens.

Texans wide out Andre Johnson will miss the rest of the team’s offseason workouts after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery last Thursday.  Johnson missed seven weeks last season after suffering a sprained left knee in Week Two against the Panthers.  The 26-year-old Johnson, who had 60 catches for a team-high 851 yards and eight touchdowns last season, should be ready for training camp at the end of July.

Meantime, the Texans signed free agent tight end Ryan Krause and cornerback Jimmy Williams on Monday.  The 26-year-old Krause had two catches for 11 yards in nine games with the Green Bay Packers last season.  The 24-year-old Williams collected 16 tackles and one interception in 14 games with the Atlanta Falcons last year. The team also released tight end Cole Bennett.

Franchise Player: None.

TRANSITION PLAYER: None.

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

• DB Roc Alexander missed last season with an injury. He will not be a priority to re-sign in the offseason, but he could provide depth in a weak secondary.

• RB Ron Dayne will likely return as a situational back who is capable of making a handful of solid starts in a season.

• DB Jason Simmons has the versatility to start at every position in the secondary. He also adds leadership the coaches love.

• DB Dexter Wynn can play at cornerback or be used as a returner. He’s solid on kicks and punts. He will likely return.

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.

EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS

• RB Chris Taylor has the Texans high on his potential. He missed all of last season with an injury, but they are hopeful he will be an impact back this season.

PLAYERS ACQUIRED

• LB Kevin Bentley: UFA Seahawks; $4M/3 yrs, $1M SB.

• RB Chris Brown: UFA Titans; $3.6M/2 yrs, $800,000 SB.

• S Nick Ferguson: UFA Broncos; 1 yr, terms unknown.

• QB Quinn Gray: UFA Jaguars; $645,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB; 2008 cap: $485,000.

• C Chris Myers: RFA Broncos (trade).

• CB Jacques Reeves: UFA Cowboys; $20M/6 yrs, $4M SB.

• LB Chaun Thompson: UFA Browns; $2.4M/2 yrs, $650,000 SB.

PLAYERS RE-SIGNED

• WR David Anderson: ERFA; terms unknown.

• S C.C. Brown: RFA; tendered at $1.47M; terms unknown.

• TE Mark Bruener: UFA; $870,000/1 yr, $100,000 guaranteed.

• DE Earl Cochran: ERFA; terms unknown.

• WR Andre’ Davis: Potential UFA; $16M/4 yrs, $8M guaranteed.

• S Will Demps: UFA; $4.5M/2 yrs, SB unknown.

• TE Joel Dreessen: ERFA; terms unknown.

• S Glenn Earl: UFA; $$1M/1 yrs, $300,000 SB/$200,000 RB.

• T Brandon Frye: ERFA; terms unknown.

• OT Scott Jackson: Potential RFA; terms unknown.

• DE N.D. Kalu: UFA; 1 yr, terms unknown.

• DT Anthony Maddox; RFA; $927,000; terms unknown.

• P Matt Turk: UFA; $2.35M/2 yrs, $500,000 SB.

• RB Darius Walker: ERFA; terms unknown.

• G Fred Weary: UFA; terms unknown.

PLAYERS LOST

• LB Charlie Anderson: UFA Dolphins; 1 yr, terms unknown.

• LB Shawn Barber (released).

• S/LB Michael Boulware: UFA Vikings; 1 yr, terms unknown.

• LB Danny Clark: UFA Giants; $4M/2 yrs, SB unknown.

• C Mike Flanagan (released).

• CB Von Hutchins: UFA Falcons; $9M/4 yrs, $2.5M.

• DT Cedric Killings: UFA; retired.

• WR Jerome Mathis: Not tendered as RFA/Redskins; terms unknown.

• C Steve McKinney (released/failed physical).

• TE Jeb Putzier (released).

The Texans continued to make strides in 2007, going 8-8, and are hoping despite playing in a tough division that 2008 will bring bigger and better. The team had a rash of injuries, with QB Matt Schaub going down, along with players banged up in the secondary. They are hoping that this season, with being healthy and a little lucky, 10-6 is not out of the question. The team knew it needed to upgrade the secondary, and did so with CB Jacques Reeves from Dallas. They also upgraded the running game with Chris Brown from Tennessee and the drafting to Steve Slaton in the 3rd round from West Virgina.

Houston will look to be more plysical on defense, and they should be with a unit that can make plays on both sides of the ball. Mario Williams and DeMeco Ryans will make life tough on QB’s and ball carriers. The question will be can the Texans hang with the best in the South, that being the Colts and Jags. They have the talent, and have made some wise offseason moves to make it look like they will be better, but overall, Houston may still be 1-2 years away from being a legit AFC contender.

Offseason Grade to Date: B+